There are moments in sports that do not require any additional details or backstory. They simply transcend the rest of the game. New York Knicks legend Willis Reed stepping on the court versus the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals produced a mystical aura that spoke for itself.

Reed passed away Tuesday at the age of 80. His Hall of Fame impact on and off the court will continue to live on in the hearts of fans everywhere. And the resolve he showed five decades ago when he played through injury in that classic Game 7 will eternally reside in Knicks lore. Just ask superfan Spike Lee.

“When Willis Reed came out of the tunnel, it was the loudest sound I've ever heard,” Lee recalled to Knicks Fan TV. “The entire Lakers team turned around to watch…the game was won right there.”

The Captain lit a fire under his teammates and in Madison Square Garden ahead of that decisive 1970 championship game. He missed the previous contest with a torn muscle in his thigh and was expected to be out that night as well. As Lee noted, his return completely blindsided the Lakers and everyone watching.

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Reed set the tone with two buckets to begin the game. Those were the only four points he would score in his 27 minutes of action, but they were enough. The display of pure guts was infectious.

Walt “Clyde” Frazier had one of the greatest championship performances in NBA history, scoring 36 points on 12-of-17 shooting. But Willis Reed cannot be overlooked for his role in boosting the Knicks to their first title in franchise history. He was named Finals MVP, an honor the big man would claim again when New York bested its West Coast rival once more in 1973.

Reed was a beacon of hope for an entire city, and his toughness is something that athletes should still aspire to today.

Rest easy, Captain.